10 Things I Wish I Knew | Slay the Spire Guide and Tips

Summary

In this comprehensive guide to *Slay the Spire*, veteran player Ina Beta shares valuable tips for both beginners and experienced players. With over 1100 hours of gameplay, Ina discusses key strategies, including the importance of adaptability, choosing the right path, embracing elite fights, and keeping your deck lean. She emphasizes card synergies, scaling, energy management, and the need to practice with different strategies. The guide also highlights decision-making for upgrading cards, relic selection, and the mental process behind evaluating each run. Join Ina’s Twitch community for more insights and become a better Spire slayer!

Takeaways

• 😀 Everything in Slay the Spire is situational; success depends on adapting to your current situation, including the class, cards, relics, and enemies you encounter.
• 😀 Pathing is crucial in Act 1. Aim for a path with three normal fights and a rest site before your first elite, ideally positioning elites later in the act to better prepare your deck.
• 😀 Embrace elite fights early, as they provide valuable relics and gold. Elite fights are predictable and scalable, making them a reliable source of power as your deck grows.
• 😀 Avoid taking every card. Instead, focus on building a slim, synergistic deck. Only pick cards that enhance your current deck's strengths or address upcoming challenges.
• 😀 Card removal is a powerful tool. Use it strategically to remove weak cards, including curses, and improve your deck's consistency and synergy.
• 😀 Card draw is essential. It increases the likelihood of drawing impactful cards and helps ensure your deck's power is consistently available during fights.
• 😀 When upgrading cards, focus on those that provide significant improvements, like doubling or tripling poison with Catalyst. Not all upgrades are equally valuable.
• 😀 Relics can dramatically improve your deck's power, but you should be selective when choosing them, especially in shops or after boss fights, where you often have to make difficult decisions.
• 😀 Scaling your deck is key to success. Cards and relics that provide scaling effects—such as scaling block or damage—help your deck keep up with the increasing difficulty of the acts.
• 😀 Practice with things you don't enjoy or feel uncomfortable with. Trying out new mechanics, relics, or strategies can help you become more adaptable and improve your overall performance in the game.

Q & A

What is the main concept behind Slay the Spire according to the video?

The main concept behind Slay the Spire is that everything in the game is situational. Success depends on adapting to your current circumstances, including available paths, HP, class, and the synergies between cards and relics. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and you must constantly make decisions based on your situation.

How should you approach pathing in Act 1?

In Act 1, it's important to find a path that includes three normal fights and a rest site before your first elite. You should aim for two elites later in the act to give you time to build your deck. Rest sites are crucial before each elite for healing and card upgrades. Shops should be avoided early in the act due to lack of gold, but if a shop is near an elite, it can be useful to pick up potions.

Why is it beneficial to embrace elite fights in Slay the Spire?

Elite fights are beneficial because they drop valuable relics that can enhance your run. Elites are also more predictable, with the same three elites in each act. They provide higher gold rewards and challenge your deck's power, helping you gauge its strength. Skipping elites reduces your chances of getting powerful relics and scaling your deck.

What is the recommended strategy for building your deck in Slay the Spire?

The recommended strategy is to keep your deck slim and focused on synergies rather than simply adding as many cards as possible. When presented with card rewards, only pick cards that complement your existing deck and help you handle upcoming challenges, such as elites or bosses. Avoid bloating your deck with cards that don't contribute to your deck's purpose.

How can card removal improve your deck?

Card removal is crucial for optimizing your deck. Removing unnecessary cards, such as strikes or curses, helps you focus on the powerful cards in your deck. This increases your chances of drawing and playing the cards that matter, making your deck more consistent and effective in battle.

Why is card draw an important aspect of deck building?

Card draw is important because it helps you cycle through your deck and reach your most impactful cards more consistently. Even if you can't play all the cards you draw, having more options increases the chances of drawing key cards that can turn the tide of a fight. Relics like Sneko provide additional card draw, which is a significant advantage in any deck.

How should players choose upgrades for their cards?

When upgrading cards, prioritize those that provide significant improvements to your deck's effectiveness. Some upgrades, like Reaper or Claw, offer minor benefits, while others, like Catalyst, provide more impactful upgrades that can drastically improve your deck's performance. Consider the synergy of your deck and focus on upgrading cards that complement your strategy.

What is scaling, and why is it important in Slay the Spire?

Scaling refers to the ability of your deck to grow stronger over time to match the increasing difficulty of enemies, especially the bosses at the end of each act. Scaling can be achieved through relics, card upgrades, and specific cards that enhance your stats or provide ongoing benefits, such as generating block or increasing damage over time.

Why is it important to practice strategies you're uncomfortable with in Slay the Spire?

Practicing strategies you're uncomfortable with helps you become more adaptable and improve your decision-making. For example, using certain relics or strategies might seem awkward at first, but with practice, you'll understand their synergies and learn to incorporate them into your runs. Experimenting with these strategies can open up new ways to succeed and strengthen your overall gameplay.

How can you prepare for the immediate challenges in a run?

To prepare for immediate challenges, focus on the current act and the upcoming elites and bosses. Constantly assess how your deck performs against these challenges and whether the cards and relics you're acquiring will help you overcome them. This mindset helps you prioritize short-term solutions while still considering how your choices will affect future acts.